Lima, Feb. 4, 08 - Representatives of more than a dozen trade union organizations of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru started today, during an international seminar, to examine the advances made in negotiating an Association Agreement between the Andean Community and the European Union and the different mechanisms for participation in it by the CAN’s Advisory Councils. 

The Secretary General of the CAN, Freddy Ehlers, opened the International Seminar “Andean Community – European Union Negotiation. The workers’ perspective,” in a ceremony attended by the Head of the European Commission Delegation in Peru, Antonio Cardoso, the Chairman of the Andean Labor Advisory Council, Cérvulo Bautista, and representatives of the Labor Development Program (Plades), the Andean Women’s Coordinating Body (Comuandes) and the ILO.

Freddy Ehlers considered it encouraging that despite their different visions, the Andean countries have agreed on the need to attach great importance to the negotiation of an Association Agreement between the CAN and the EU and to the participation in the negotiation of the different social sectors. 

He stated that work is presently underway on a radical revision of the social agenda so as to be able to embark upon clearly-defined and measurable social projects about which the nations will be kept informed at all times and that will allow for more active participation by the citizens.  “This is the only way something can be built,” he stressed.    

Ambassador Cardoso, for his part, stressed that the UE and the CAN are engaged in a negotiation process that goes beyond an FTA, that has a trade component, but also political and cooperation dimensions.  “It is a complex rapprochement between two blocs that calls for a large measure of political will,” he stated.   

Like Jean Monnet, Cardoso believes the integration process should be controlled more by the citizens, than the States.  “Therein lies the importance of seminars like this one that promotes the reflections and contributions of a sector as significant as labor,” he went on to add. 

For three days, representatives of trade union organizations belonging to the Andean Labor Advisory Council will explore regional integration as a framework for the development strategy, the current status of the negotiation, social cohesion and human labor rights in the negotiation, among other issues.